Pokemon: R
by Asmodeus Wind
Summary: 15 years after the events of Pokemon Red and Blue 3 years after Gold/Silver , Team Rocket has returned with a "bang." I intend for this to have short chapters, and be serious in tone - I'm no where near his level, but think what Urasawa did with Pluto.


_**1 - Red-Stained Goldenrod**_

Goldenrod City. A sprawling metropolis teeming with all sorts of people, from the vile to the virtuous, and places, from the dirtiest shack to the most opulent of towers. Whether one's pleasures were shopping, eating, bicycling, or wasting away a few coins at the slots, Goldenrod had it all. But on this night, among the rows of identical high rises, there was a single deviation. For atop one of the higher buildings, a dark figure stood, camouflaged by the shadows of the night. Donned in all black, save for a glaring red "R" on his chest, he looked down at the city below him, giving particular focus to the plaza adjacent to Goldenrod's famed radio tower.

An older gentleman, perhaps a little younger than sixty years old, walked out of the tower where the shadowy figure's gaze was directed. This older man wore an educated face, with his fading white lab coat and grayed hair only accenting his aura of wisdom. As he traveled down the city sidewalk, he made sure to smile, greet, and wave to anyone he passed.

A woman might say, "How are you, professor?"

"Doing just fine," he might reply with a grin.

The man on the rooftop smiled. "That's him," he whispered to himself upon seeing the older man exit the radio tower.

The man turned around to a large bird standing behind him, perched on the center of the rooftop. It was a Pidgeot of magnificent proportions, large enough for any grown man to mount. Its underbelly was colored a light tan while the rest of its body was sepia in tone, though it was its beautiful tail and head feathers colored in the shades of autumn that gave the bird its majesty. At only the glance of the man, it rose up into the air and flew beside its master. Before mounting the Pidgeot, he took out a device from inside his shirt. It was a gun.

"Let's go," said the man, his eyes still trained on the professor. "Fly!"

At a speed that could barely be comprehended by the human eye, the Pidgeot took off into the air before repositioning itself and diving down. The man riding it clinged onto his gun, clearly ready to fire at any given time. The bird flew closer and closer to the professor, until it hovered right on top of him. In the few seconds it took for the professor to take notice and direct his eyes towards the Pidgeot, the bullet had already left its chamber and entered his chest.

With a look of total shock on his face, the professor incomprehensibly muttered "R...," as if trying to pronounce a word but being unable to get past its first syllable. And in the moment it took for the bystanders to gather around him, the one who committed the deed had vanished, now only a shadow in the darkness of the night.

Within a few hours, the small crowds of onlookers had turned into droves, accompanied by mourners, television cameras, and all of Goldenrod's famous citizens: Whitney, master of Goldenrod's gym, Bill, a renowned researcher, and all the co-workers of the professor, stars of their own radio programs. Away from the crowd was a woman of no extraordinary features, wearing professional attire and of a similar demeanor. She held a microphone to her mouth as she spoke, staring still-faced into the camera directly in front of her.

"This is Kinsey with the SNN, live in Goldenrod, where the city's brilliant yellow lights have been soiled by the red stains of blood. Hours ago, noted professor of Pokémon, Samuel Oak, was shot down by an assailant who, according to local police forces, has yet to be identified. Witnesses have reported, however, that a large, red, and very obvious "R" logo was printed on the front of his shirt. This very same logo has been used in the past by Team Rocket, a criminal organization once active in the greater Johto-Kanto region. It remains to be seen whether the assailant responsible for this crime is part of that organization or merely a copy-cat; neither the Goldenrod Police Department nor the national level investigation agencies of Kanto or Johto can be reached at this time for comment."

Meanwhile, far away from Goldenrod, the murderer sitting on the bed in what appeared to be a hotel room. He was now shirtless, wearing a relaxed smile on his face as he watched the news report. After using the remote to turn the volume of the television down, he took a cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

"Hello. This is Barry. The tree's been cut down, about a few hours ago," he spoke into it.

The person on the other line replied, his voice deep and authoritative but jovial in tone. "I see. How far away are you from the forest?"

"Oh, I'm just where I'm supposed to be," Barry replied.

"That's good," the voice continued, "that bird of yours must fly fast. I knew you were right for this job."

Barry looked at the red and white sphere sitting on the table beside him before speaking. "Yes, it's highly skilled. Thank you sir for recognizing my ability."

The voice laughed. "Not at all, Barry. It's my job to sort those who have ability from those who don't. Listen, take a vacation for a few days, even a week. I hear the water there can quite beautiful this time of year."

Barry replied with a hint of humility. "I will. Thank you sir."

The man on the other line's smile turned into a grin before evolving into full-blown laughter. Wearing a very fashionable, auburn double-breasted suit, he rose a cigar to his mouth and took a few puffs as he looked down at the city of Viridian from his large, high-rise apartment. The man took notice as a beautiful woman approached him, seeing her reflection on the window's glass. This alluring figure wore the most stylish of black dresses, with her long, flowing lavender hair providing the perfect backdrop to the foreground of her angelic face, characterized by dark, purple lipstick that left only a hit of its presence.

"Was that Barry?" she asked with a smile, seductively stroking the man's balding hair.

Giovanni replied, not taking his eyes off the cityscape, "Yes. He confirmed it." He turned around and put his hand on her shoulders before moving in for a kiss. As he moved his head away from hers, he smiled with an evil grin. "Oak is dead."


End file.
